Ms. Amani Guizani, Mr. Fredrick Mussa Mwaikenda, and Dr. Abdelrahman Zkria Ahmed shared their personal and professional journeys with the audience at the 4th IAfP Africa-Japan University Exchange Meeting on January 17, 2025.

　Ms. Amani Guizani is a civil engineer from Tunisia, discussed her journey from Africa to Japan, detailing her academic and professional experiences. She arrived in Japan in September 2019 through the JICA Abe Initiative. Ms. Guizani discussed her motivations for coming to Japan, particularly her interest in Japan's advanced infrastructure resilience, especially in earthquake engineering. She completed her master's degree at the University of Tokyo, specializing in earthquake liquefaction research. Ms. Guizani interned at SoftBank, working on African market strategies, and later joined Yachiyo Engineering, where she worked on international ODA projects. Currently, she works at GPSS Engineering, focusing on renewable energy infrastructure design. Ms. Guizani highlighted challenges faced by foreigners in Japan, particularly cultural adaptation, and shared strategies for overcoming these challenges through community building and sports involvement. She concluded with advice on securing jobs in Japan, emphasizing the importance of Japanese language skills, positive attitude, and relevant academic qualifications.

　

　In this presentation, Mr. Frederick Mussa Mwaikenda, Coordinator of the Center for Global Initiatives at Tokyo University of Agriculture, shared his personal journey of studying and working in Japan. He began by expressing gratitude to various university staff members and then detailed his experience starting from 2015 when he came to Japan from Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania. He discussed the reasons for choosing Japan as the country for study abroad, including scholarship opportunities, advanced agricultural practices, and the availability of information about exchange programs. Mr. Mwaikenda highlighted the benefits of studying in Japan, such as access to dedicated advisors, exposure to global education systems, and opportunities for part-time work. He also addressed challenges faced by international students, including language barriers and cultural differences. Currently, he works on projects connecting Africa and Japan, particularly in agricultural development. He emphasized the growing importance of Africa in global business strategies, citing a 2023 JETRO survey showing 60% of Japanese companies considering Africa more important for future business expansion.

　

　Dr. Abdelrahman’s presentation detailed his academic and professional journey from Egypt to Japan. He began his presentation by sharing his origins in Aswan, Egypt, and his early academic pursuits at Aswan University. He discussed his master's degree in Austria (2010), followed by study at the PhD program at Kyushu University (2013-2017). Dr. Abdelrahman also highlighted his current role as an Associate Professor at Kyushu University, where he leads a research group focused on electronic materials and devices. He emphasized his contributions to efforts for internationalization of the university, particularly through cooperation for development of the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology. Dr. Abdelrahman also provided insights into studying in Japan, discussing scholarship opportunities, particularly the MEXT scholarship, and the growing demand for skilled professionals in Japan's aging workforce. He concluded by sharing information about his research on carbon materials and nanodiamonds, as well as his role in promoting international collaboration between African and Japanese universities.